Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive sweating. Living in the desert, most of us Las Vegans will be caught sweating from time to time. With temperatures reaching over 110 degrees in the hottest months, most of us will perspire. Sweating is the body’s mechanism of cooling itself down. When does your sweating become, well, excessive? If you suffer from one or more of these symptoms, then you may be considered to have hyperhidrosis:
Excessive sweating of palms of the hands and/or soles of the feet- Excessive sweating of armpits
- Increased amount of sweating
- Change in pattern of sweating
- Change in the odor associated with sweating
- Stained clothing
According to national studies, about one in 50 people suffers from excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis. While hyperhidrosis may affect many parts of the body, the hands, feet, head or armpits are where it is most likely to occur. Excess sweating can occur due to other health issues, but there are no known causes for hyperhidrosis.
Scientists and physicians believe that is there are two reasons why people have hyperhidrosis:
- The brain and nervous system are sending too many signals to sweat.
- The nervous system is acting normally but sweat glands in a certain area are hyperactive.
Here are 4 treatments options if you think you are suffer from excessive sweating: 
- Botox: Botox doesn’t just stop you from getting those nasty lines; it blocks signals from the nerves that activate your sweat glands in certain areas. Blocking sweat from one area of your body isn’t going to make you sweat more somewhere else, like surgery might. Dr. Andrea Fong, an experienced injector of Botox, can target the areas of the body that are excessively sweating.
- Prescription antiperspirants: If you are reading this, you have tried every over the counter antiperspirant sold. There are prescription antiperspirants like Drysol that can be prescribed for more serious cases of hyperhidrosis. Prescription antiperspirants have a higher concentration of aluminum chloride, making them more affective. Unlike traditional over the counter antiperspirants, prescription strength antiperspirants are applied at night, not in the morning.
- Surgery: For those who want a more permanent treatment, there is a surgical option. This treatment is called “Suction Curettage”. Suction Curettage is a minimally invasive surgical procedure where a physician will suck out sweat glands from underneath the skin. It can be a very easy procedure. Incisions are tiny, and the results have shown positive, although Drs. Fong and MacLeod do not perform this surgery. As with any surgery, there are always risks associated.
Oral medications: Some sufferers of hyperhidrosis may experience sweating in more than one area, making things like prescription antiperspirants solve only half the problem. If your sweating is a problem in more than one area, then an oral medication may be a better option. Anticholinergics are a class of medications that block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine—which is responsible for telling your body to sweat. Though they’re not FDA-approved to treat hyperhidrosis (it’s considered an off-label use), anticholinergic medications are commonly prescribed for this. These medications may come with some unpleasant side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision.
If you think you suffer from hyperhidrosis, give us a call. One of our physicians will meet with you and give you a treatment plan that best fits your lifestyle. Let us help you take the sweat out of your life! Call us 702-796-7546
